Universal bobbin holder



1956 R. K. WHITEHEAD, sR., ETAL 3,28

. UNIVERSAL BOBBIN HOLDER Filed Dec. 5, 1965 V 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI 'INVENTORS RICHARD K. WHITEHEAD SR. RICHARD K. WHITEHEAD JR.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1966 R. KQWHITEHEAD, SR, ETAL 3,286,949

- UNIVERSAL BOBBIN HOLDER I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1963 Nov. 22,1966 R. K. WHITEHEAD, SR., ETAL UNIVERSAL BOBBIN HOLDER Filed Dec. 3,1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR5 K.WH|TEHEAD SR K, JR

WHITEHEAD ATTORN S 22, 1956 R. K. WHITEHEAD, SR, ETAL 3,285,949

United States Patent 3,286,949 UNIVERSAL BOBBIN HOLDER Richard K.Whitehead, Sr., De Kalb County, Ga. (1631 N. Gatewood Road NE., Atlanta,Ga.), and Richard K. Whitehead, Jr., 1365 Monroe Drive NE., Atlanta, Ga.

Filed Dec. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 327,652 12 Claims. (Cl. 242-130.2)

This invention relates to bobbin holders and more particularly, to asuspension type bobbin holder by which a standard type bobbin forthread, sliver, or roving is releasably suspended for free rotation fromthe creel board or cree'l rail of a spinning machine or the like.

Bobbins suspended for free rotation from the creel boards or creel railsof spinning or similar machines must be frequently changed since thethread, sliver, or roving on a bobbin is quickly used by the high speedmachines which have been developed for the textile industry. As aresult, the textile industry has developed a variety of suspension typebobbin holders in an effort to provide for rapid and eflicient changingof bobbins.

Most of these previous bobbin holders have characteristically permittedthe slidable positioning of a bobbin on the bobbin holder and theslidable removal of a bobbin from the bobbin holder to be accomplishedwith substantially the same basic motions by the operator of themachine. This is because such a feature avoids the possibility ofoperator confusion and permits an operator to develop a standardized,efl'lcient pattern of motions.

Bobbins used with suspension type bobbin holders usually bave a shoulderformed at the upper end of a cylindrical recess and previous suspensiontype bobbin holders have generally suspended a bobbin of this type byexpanding and contracting the lower end of the bobbin holder within therecess and below the shoulder with pawls which move between fixedoutwardly extending positions and retracted positions. The pawls extendoutwardly when a bobbin is in position on the bobbin holder and areretracted when a bobbin is being positioned on the bobbin holder orremoved from the bobbin holder. The shoulder of a bobbin resting on thepawls when the pawls are extended holds the bobbin in position on thebobbin holder and the bobbin is easily positioned on and removed fromthe bobbin holder when the pawls are retracted.

The difiiculty with most of these previous bobbin holders is that thepawls must extend to a fixed extent and must be locked in positionedwhen a bobbin is on the bobbin holder. Thus, if the diameter of therecess in a bobbin is not at least as great as the distance between theextending tips of the pawls of the bobbin holder, the pawls of thebobbin holder cannot extend and lock and will retract and release thebobbin because of the weight of the bobbin. Moreover, when an operatorattempts to lock the pawls in bobbin holding posit-ion in a bobbinhaving a recess too small to receive the fully extended pawls, thebobbin is frequently damaged or it may become jammed on the bobbinholder. 'Ihus, most pre' vious bobbin holders have generally not beenwell adapted to holding bobbins of various sizes having recesses ofvarying diameter. Yet, for maximum utilization of spinning or similarmachines, it is frequently necessary that bobbins of various sizes beeasily and efficiently positioned on and removed from a single bobbinholder.

This problem with most previous bobbin holders has resulted in thedevelopment of universal suspension type bobbin holders capable ofholding and releasing bobbins of various sizes. However, even thoughthese previous universal bobbin holders will receive, hold and releasebobbins of various sizes, they have not been wholly satisfactory. Thisis because they have characteristically required a particular motion onthe part of the operator ice when a bobbin is being positioned on abobbin holder and an entirely different motion on the part of theoperator when a bobbin is being removed from the bobbin holder.

Since the changing of bobbins in the textile industry must beaccomplished at a highly rapid rate, these different operator motionsfrequently cause operator error such as the attempted positioning of abobbin with a releasing motion or the attempted releasing of a bobbinwith a positioning motion. If the wrong motion is used in positioning abobbin on the bobbin holder, the bobbin drops from the bobbin holder,and if the wrong motion is used to release a bobbin, the bobbin is notreleased, and an additional time-wasting attempt to remove the bobbinmust be made before the removal of the bobbin is accomplished.

The bobbin holder disclosed herein is a universal bobbin holder in thatit will receive, hold and release bobbins varying in size over arelatively wide range and having recesses and shoulders varying indiameter over relatively wide ranges. In addition, the bobbin holderdisclosed herein completely overcomes the above described difficultywith previous universal bobbin holders in that the positioning of abobbin on and the releasing of a bobbin from the bobbin holder areaccomplished by the same motion of the bobbin relative to the bobbinholder. The required motion is simply an upward motion of the bobbinrelative to the bobbin holder. This motion is easily mastered by theoperator of a machine and does not require the operator to remember andmaster the motion of a bobbin relative to the bobbin holder when thebobbin is to be positioned and an entirely different motion of a bobbinrelative to the bobbin holder when the bobbin is to be release-d.Moreover, the bobbin holder disclosed herein is durable in constructionand relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

These improvements in bobbin holders are achieved by a bobbin holderhaving the customary bullet shaped outer shell which extends into therecess of a bobbin and which is rotatably suspended downward from thecreel board or creel rail of a spinning or similar machine, having acentral body slidably movable within the outer shell, having pawls whichretract into the outer shell as the central body moves upward within theouter shell and which extend outwardly from the outer shell as thecentral .body moves downward within the outer shell, having a sleeveslidably movable along the outer surface of the outer shell when movedby the upper edge of a bobbin as the bobbin is moved for positioning onor releasing from the bobbin holder, and having an operating means foralternately checking the downward motion of the central body andpermitting the downward motion of the central body in response torepeated upward motions of the sleeve. The paw'ls remain retracted intothe outer shell when the downward motion of the central body is checkedand they extend from the outer shell when the downward motion of thecentral body is permitted. Thus, the operating means :for alternatelychecking the downward motion of the central body and permitting thedownward motion of the central body in response to the motion of thesleeve serves alternately to hold the pawls in retracted position and topermit the pawls to extend as the sleeve is repeatedly moved by abobbin. The pawls extend until they are fully extended or until theyengage the walls of the recess in a bobbin, and regardless of the extentto which extended, the pawls support a bobbin having a recess permittingthem to extend and a shoulder above the pawls when extended.

With the operating means checking the downward motion of the centralbody, a bobbin may be positioned on the bobbin holder disclosed hereinby simply sliding the bobbin upward along the outer shell so as to move3 the sleeve upward. This upward motion of the sleev causes theoperating means to release the central body for downward motion withinthe outer shell. As a result, the pawls extend to the extent permittedby the size of the recess in the bobbin and hold the bobbin in positionon the bobbing holder.

When it is desired to subsequently release the bobbin from the bobbinholder, it is simply necessary to once again move the bobbin upwardalong the outer shell of the bobbin holder so as to move the sleeveupward along the outer shell of the bobbin holder. This upward motion ofthe sleeve causes the alternate response of the operating means so thatthe downward motion of the central body is once again checked and thepawls are retracted into the outer shell of the bobbin holder for easyremoval of the bobbin and positioning of the next bobbin. The upwardmotion of the sleeve as the next bobbin is positioned on the bobbinholder will once again cause the operating means to release the centralbody so as to permit the pawls to extend and hold the new bobbin inposition on the bobbin holder.

The positioning of a bobbin on and the removal of a bobbin from thebobbin holder disclosed herein is accomplished by the same upward motionof the bobbin relative to the bobbin holder and this upward motion ofthe bobbin relative to the bobbin holder alternately causes the bobbinto be firmly positioned on the bobbin holder or quickly released fromthe bobbin holder. Thus, the bobbin holder disclosed herein permitsbobbins to be positioned on or released from it with a single efiicientmotion by the operator and avoids all possibility of operator confusionand of time lost while several attempts are made to achieve the correctmotion for the releasing of a bobbin from or the positioning of a bobbinon the bobbin holder.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be moreclearly understood from the following detailed description and theaccompanying drawings in which like characters of reference designatecorresponding parts in all figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of the bobbinholder suspended from a creel rail and having a bobbin positioned on itslower end.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the central body, the rightpawl, and the left pawl of the bobbin holder.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the right half and the left half of theouter shell of the bobbin holder.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the inside of the lower end of the righthalf of the outer shell of the bobbin holder and shows the positions ofthe central body and of the right pawl when the right pawl is extendedto a bobbin holding position.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the inside of the lower end of the righthalf of the outer shell of the bobbin holder and shows the positions ofthe central body and of the right pawl as the right pawl is beingextended or retracted by the central body.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the lower end of the right half of theouter shell of the bobbin holder and shows the positions of the centralbody and of the right pawl 'when the right pawl is retracted into theouter shell.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation view of the inside of the right halfof the outer shell and shows the path of the camming ball in the cammingchannel in response to upward motion of the central body as a bobbin ismoved upward to be released from the bobbin holder.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevation view of the inside of the right halfof the outer shell and shows the path of the camming ball in the cammingchannel in response to downward motion of the central body as a bobbinis removed from the bobbin holder.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevation view of the inside of the right halfof the outer shell and shows the path of the camming ball in the cammingchannel in response to upward motion of the central body as a bobbin ispositioned on the bobbin holder.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevation view of the inside of the right halfof the outer shell and shows the path of the camming ball in the cammingchannel as the central body moves downward to extend the pawls forholding a bobbin on the bobbin holder.

These figures and the following detailed description disclose apreferred specific embodiment of the invention but the invention is notlimited to the details disclosed herein since it may be embodied inother equivalent forms. 7

The bobbin holder disclosed herein is best understood as comprising atubular outer shell S suspended by sus pension assembly T from a creelrail E and having a sleeve R slidably movable along its length. Thelower end of the outer shell S is insertable through a hole 24' in theupper end of 1a bobbin B so as to position the lower end of the outershell S within a cavity 25 in the bobbin B and beneath ashoulder 26formed in the bobbin B where the hole 24 is continuous with the cavity25. The suspension assembly T is suspended from the creel rail E by abolt 27 which extends upwardly from the suspension assembly T through ahole 28 in the creel rail E and which is threadably engaged at its upperend by a locking plate 29 positioned within the creel rail E.

The suspension assembly T is of known type and supports the upper end ofthe outer shell S of the bobbin holder so as to permit the outer shell Sto be freely rotatable about its lengthwise axis. A dust cover D extendsdownward over suspension assembly T and insures that dust does not enterthe suspension assembly T and prevent the free rotation of the outershell S. The outer shell S has a right half 44 and a left half 45 heldtogether to form the outer shell S' by the insertion of the outer shellS into the suspension assembly T and by a button 46 of resilientmaterial enclosing nubs 47 at the lower ends of the halves 44 and 45 ofthe outer shell S. The butt-on 46 is hemispherical in shape and alsoserves to provide a rounded end of resilient material at the lower endof the outer shell S.

The right half 44 and the left half 45 of the outer shell S define alower cavity V and an upper cavity W continuous with the lower cavity V.A central body C is slidably movable within the cavities V and W inresponse to motion of the sleeve R along the outer shellS. A pin 49 isfixedly inserted through the lower end of the central body C and throughthe upper end of a right pawl 51 and the upper end of a left pawl 52.1The right pawl 51 and the left pawl 52 are on opposite sides of thecentral body C and are pivotable about the pin 49. Thus, as the centralbody C slidably moves within the cavities V and W in response to motionof the sleeve R, the pawls 51 and 52 move upward and downward relativeto the suspension assembly T. Hemispherical spacers 39 integral with thepawls 51 and 52 and concentric with the pin 49 extend outwardly firomthe pawls 51 and 52 l to engage the walls of the cavity V so as to holdthe pawls 51 and 52 on the pin 49 and guide the lowerend of the centralbody C as it moves within the cavity V.

The right half 44 of the outer shell S has a right pawl channel 54continuous with that half of the lower cavity 4 V formed by it and theleft half 45 of the outer shell S has a left pawl channel 55 continuouswith that portion of the 'lower cavity V formed by it. The pawl channels54 and 55 extend in opposite directions and when the halves 44 and 45 ofthe outer shell S are placed together 55 are inclined outward-1y so asto move the pawls 51 and 52 progressively outward as the pawls 51 and 52move downward in the pawl channels 54 and 55. Thus, the extent to whichthe pawls 51 and 52 extend depends upon the extent to which the centralbody moves downward within the cavities V and W. The uppermost surfaces105 of the pawl channels 54 and 55 permit this outward motion of thepawls 51 and 52 and serve to force the pawls 51 and 52 inward when thecentral body moves upward within the cavities V and W.

The weight of a bobbin B or downward force exerted on a bobbin B by theoperator of a machine causes the bobbin as it engages the holding edges106 of the pawls 51 and 52 to force the pawls 51 and 52 inward anddownward against the lowermost surfaces 56 of the pawl channels 54 and55. There is no tendency for the pawls 51 and 52 to be forced into theouter shell S by the weight of a bobbin B or even by the downward forceexerted on a bobbin B by the operator of a machine. This is because itrequires inward and upward motion of the pawls 51 and 52 for the pawls51 and 52 to be retracted. The result of this arrangement is thatholding action of the pawls 51 and 52 is obtained regardless of theextent to whichthe pawls 51 and 52 are extended. Thus, when the centralbody C is free to move downward so as to permit the pawls 51 and 52 toextend outwardly from the outer shell S, a bobbin B having a shoulder 26engaging the pawls 51 and 52 will be firmly held by the bobbin holder.

The outer shell S has a right slot 30 extending through it from theupper cavity W and a left slot 31 extending through it from the uppercavity W on the opposite side from the right slot 30. The upper end ofthe central body C has a right arm 32 and a left arm 34 integral withand extending outwardly from it in opposite directions and when theupper end of the central body C is positioned within the cavity W, theright arm 32 extends through the right slot 30 and the left arm 34extends through the left slot 31. The extending ends of the arms 32 and34 are received in recesses (not shown) in the upper surface 35 of thesleeve R. Thus, as the sleeve R moves along the outer shell S, thesleeve R moves the arms 32 and 34 and the central body C within thecavities V and W. The slots 30 and 31 extend parallel to the centerlineof the outer shell S and the arms 32 and 34 within the slots 30 and 31serve to cause the central body C to move upward and downward within thecavity W in a fixed plane of reference extending between the slots 30and 31. Moreover, the arms 32 and 34 striking the upper ends and thelower ends of the slots 30 and 31 serve to limit the upward and downwardmotion of the central body C within the outershel-l S.

The diameter of the sleeve R is greater than the diameter of the hole 24in a bobbin B and the sleeve R is engaged and moved upward along theouter shell S by a bobbin B as the bobbin B is moved upward along thelength of the outer shell S. 'In turn, the sleeve R moves the centralbody C upward within the outer shell S. When the sleeve R is not beingheld in an upward position by a bobbin B or other means, the sleeve Rhas sufiicient weight to slide downward along the outer shell S causingthe central body C to move downward also and to extend the pawls 51 and52 from the outer shell S. Thus, downward motion of the sleeve R as itfollows a bobbin B -downward along the outer shell S causes the pawls 51and 52 to extend within the recess 25 of the bobbin B and hold thebobbin B on the bobbin holder, and upward motion of the sleeve Rcausesthe pawls 51 and 52 to retract and permit a bobbin B to be easilypositioned on or removed from the bobbin holder.

The bobbin holder has an operating means responsive to the upward motionof the sleeve R and the central body C which alternately holds thecentral body C in an upward position at which the pawls 51 and 52 areretracted and releases the central body C for downward motion with thesleeve R so as to extend the pawls 51 and 52. It will now be seen thatwith the pawls 51 and 52 retracted by the operating means holding thecentral body C in an upward position, a bobbin B may be easilypositioned on the bobbin holder with an upward motion along the outershell S. As the bobbin B moves upward along the outer shell S it engagesthe sleeve R and forces the sleeve R upward. This upward motion of thesleeve R causes upward motion of the central body C and the operatingmeans to release the central body C for downward motion. The downwardmotion of the central body C causes the pawls 51 and 52 to extend to theextent permitted by the size of the recess 25 in the bobbin B and causesthe bobbin B to be held by the bobbin holder regardless of the extent towhich the pawls 51 and 52 are extended.

When it is subsequently desired to remove the bobbin B from the bob-binholder, the bobbin B is once again moved upward toward the suspensionassembly T. This causes the sleeve and the central body C to move upwardand cause the alternate response of the operating means which holds thecentral body C in an upward position at which the pawls 51 and 52 areretracted into the outer shell S. The result is that the bobbin B iseasily removed from the bobbin holder and when another bobbin B isplaced on the bobbin holder with upward motion sufficient to raise thesleeve R and the central body C, the operating means releases thecentral body 0 and the bobbin holder will hold the new bobbin B inposition.

The upward motion of a bobbin B relative to the bobbin holder as it ispositioned on the bobbin holder and as it is released from the bobbinholder is identical. In each case the bobbin holder engages the sleeve Rand carries the sleeve R and the central body C upward until the upwardmotion of the central body C is checked by the operating means.

The operating means of the bobbin holder is best shown in 'FIGS. 2 and3. The upper cavity W is defined by a cylindrical recess 58 in the lefthalf of the outer shell S and by .a flat surface 59 formed in the righthalf 44 of the outer shell S. The fiat surface 59 is in a plane ofreference extending between the edges of the slots 30 and 31 defined bythe right half 44 of the outer shell S. Thus, the hat surface 59 isadjacent to the right side 60 of the central body C as the upper end ofthe central body C moves within the upper cavity W.

Above the arms 32 and 34, the central body C is in tegral with a carriermember 61. The carrier member 61 is a half-cylinder having its axis ofrevolution perpendicular to the centerline of the outer shell S andhaving its flat surface 62 containing its axes of revolution continuouswith the flat surface 59 formed in the right half 44 of the outer shellS. This positioning of the carrier member 61 causes the flat surface 62of the carrier member 61 to move adjacent to the flat surface 59 in theright half 44 of the outer shell S when the central body C moves withinthe outer shell S.

A transverse groove '63 is formed in the flat surface 62 of the carriermember 61 and a camming channel 10 1 is formed in the flat surface 59 inthe right ihalf 44 of the outer shell S and the result of thisarrangement is that a camming ball 99 positioned partly in thetransverse groove 63 and partly in the camming channel 101 moves in boththe transverse groove 63 and in the camming channel 101 as the centralbody C moves upward and downward within the outer shell S. Thetransverse groove 63 extends perpendicular to the centerline of theouter shell S and permits motion of the camming ball '99 only in adirection perpendicular to the centerline of the outer shell S.

Thus, the position Olf the camlming ball 99 and of the central body Cwithin the outer shell S is defined by the motion of the camming ball 99parallel to the centerline of the outer shell S permitted by the cammingchannel 101. The camming channel 101 is shaped to permit such motion byproviding a plurality of paths in which the camming ball 99 moves withcomponents of motion both parallel and perpendicular to the centerlineof the outer shell S as the central body C moves within the outer shellS. The transverse groove 63 is of suflicient length to accommodate themotion of the camming ball 99 perpendicular to the centerline of theouter shell S required for the camming ball to follow the cammingchannel 101 as the central body C moves within the outer shell S and itwill be understood that the position of the camming ball 99 in thecamming channel I101 defines the position of the central body C in theouter shell S. This is because the central body C moves downward whenthe camming channel 101 permits the camming ball 99 to move downward andbecause the central body C is held in an upward position when thecamming channel 101 prevents the camming ball 99 from moving downward.

The camming channel 101 forms an island member 103 which together withthe outer edges of the camming channel 101 defines a path P1 in whichthe camming ball ,99 moves as a bobbin B moves upward along the outershell S to be released from the bobbin holder, a path -P-2 in which thecamming ball 99 moves as a bobbin B moves permit the central body C tomove downward and extend. the pawls '51 and 52 to the extent penm-ittedby the recess 25 in the bobbin B, thus holding the bobbin B in positionon the bobbin holder. An indentation 72 in the lower edge of thetransverse groove 63 into which the camming ball 99 seats itself when itis checked by the wall 108 prevents the camming ball 99 from rolling indownward along the outer shell S to be removed from the bobbin holder, apath P-3 in which the camming ball 99 moves as a new bobbin B is slidupward along the outer shell S for positioning on the bobbin holder, anda path P-4 in which the camming ball 99 moves as the bobbin B isreleased to slide downward along the outer shell S for positioning onthe outer shell S by the pawls 51 and 52.

The path P-1 is best seen in FIG. 7, and it will be seen that the pathP-11 serves to permit the camming ball 99 to move upward past the islandmember 103 into a position above the island member 103 where upwardmotion of the camming ball 99 and of the central body C is checked by afinger 105 extending downwardly toward the island member 103. Thisserves to limit the upward motion of the sleeve R and the bobbin B alongthe outer shell S of the bobbin holder as the bobbin B is being movedupward for release from the bobbin holder.

When the bobbin B is subsequently moved downward for removal from thebobbin holder, the path P-2 of the camming ball 99 resulting from thedownward motion of the central body C and shown in FIG. 8 causes thecamming ball 99 to strike an upper guide surface 106 of the island 103.An indentation 71 in the lower edge of the transverse groove 63 intowhich the camming ball 99 seats itself when it is checked by the finger105 serves to insure that the camming ball 99 engages the guide surface106 rather than rolling in the transverse groove 63 and retracing thepath P-1. This prevents an inclined position of the bobbin holder fromaltering the motion of the camming ball 99 in the camming channel 101.After striking the guide surface :106, the camming ball 99 is forcedupward out of the indentation 7-1 and rolls downwardly along the upperguide surface 106 of the island member 103 until it reaches a holdingsurface 107 of the island 103 where the downward motion of the cammingball 99 and the central body C is checked. This checking of the downwardmotion of the central body C causes the pawls 51 and :52 to remainretracted so that a used bobbin B is easily removed from the bobbinholder and a new bobbin B is easily positioned on the bobbin holder.

When a new bobbin B is positioned on the bobbin holder, it is slidupwardly along the outer shell S causing the sleeve Rand the centralbody C to move upward. This causes upward motion of the camming ball 99as shown by a path P-3 in FIG. 9. The path P-3 of the camming ball 99carries the camming ball 99 upward until it engages the sloping surface85 of the finger 105 which causes the camming ball 99 to roll along thesloping surface 85 of the finger 105 until motion of the camming ball 99is checked by the wall 108 of the right camming channel 101 in aposition at which the island 1% is no longer below the camming ball 99.Thus, when the bobbin B is released and allowed to drop along the outershell S bobbin on the bobbin holder.

I the operating means will alternately cause the pawls, 51 1 thetransverse groove 63 and retracing rpath P-3 even though the bobbinholder is in an inclined position. The edge 89 of the camming channel'101 forces the camming ball 99 out of the indention 72 as the cammingball 99 follows path P-4.

It will be seen that the camming channel 101 imparts a primary holdingmotion as defined by path P-1 and a secondary holding motion .as definedby the path P2 to the camming ball 99. These holding motions are inresponse to an upward and downward movement of the bobbin B along theouter shell S as the bobbin B'is re-. moved from the bobbin holder andthe pawls 51 and 52 are retracted within the outer shell S to permit theeasy removal of this bobbin and the easy positioning of a new Similarly,it will be un derstood that the camming channel 101 imparts a primaryreleasing motion as defined by the path P-3 and a secondary releasingmotion as defined by the path P-4 to the 1 camming ball 99. Thesereleasing motions serve to re-.

lease the central body C for downward motion so as to extend the pawls51 and 52 into the recess 25 of a bobbin B and are responsive to anupward and downward motion of the bobbin Balong the outer shell Ssubstantially.

identical to the upward and downward motion of a bobbin B along theouter shell S required for the holding motions described above. It willalso be understood that the secondary releasing motion as defined by thepath P-4 l pawls 52 and 52 for outward extension in response to repeatedupward and downward motions of a bobbin B relative to the outer shell S.

Operation From the foregoing description of the bobbin holder disclosedherein, it will be understood that the operating means of the bobbinholder is responsive to the upward motion of a bobbin B along the outershell S and that and 52 to be retracted within the outer shell S and tobe extended outwardly from the outer shell S in response to this upwardmotion of a bobbin 'B. Thus, the opera- 1 tion of the bobbin holdersimply requires that a bobbin B be slid upwardly along the outer shell Suntil checked and then released. Whether the bobbin is to be removedfrom the bobbin holder or positioned on the bobbin holder, the bobbin Bis always slid upward along the outer shell S until its upward motion ischecked by the sleeve R and released. The result is that bobbins B arepositioned on or removed from the bobbin holder by a single efiicientpattern of motion.

Moreover, it will be understood that when a bobbin B is positioned onthe bobbin holder by an upward motion of the bobbin B along the outershell S of the bobbin holder, the pawls 51 and 52 extend outwardly fromthe outer shell S until they engage the walls of the recess 25 in thebobbin B and that regardless of the extent to which the pawls 51 and 52are extended, the bobbin B is firmly positioned on the bobbin holder.This is because the pawls 51 and 52 are extended by the downward motionof the central body C and because the pawls 51 and 52 will move inwardlyonly if the central body C is moved upward within the outer shell S.Thus, until the central body C is subsequently raised at the time thebobbin B is removed from the bobbin holder, the pawl-s 51 and 52 remainin position to firmly hold the bobbin B in position.

It will be obvious that many variations may be made in the embodimenthere chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present inventionwithout departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed as invention is:

1. A holder for a bobbin, said holder comprising a tubular member, acentral 'body slidably movable within the tubular member relative to apredetermined position, a bobbin holding member mounted on and slidablewith the central body and having an inward position when the centralbody is in the said predetermined position and a plurality of outwardlyextending bobbin holding positions when the body is released from thepredetermined position, means responsive to a particular motion of thebobbin relative to the tubular member for retaining the central body inthe said predetermined position, and means responsive to the saidparticular motion of the bobbin relative to the tubular member forreleasing the central body from the said predetermined position.

2. A bobbin holder for alternately holding a bobbin in response to aparticular upward motion of the bobbin relative to the bobbin holder andreleasing the bobbin in response to the particular upward motion of thebobbin relative to the bobbin holder, said bobbin holder comprising atubular member having an outwardly extending channel therein, a bodyslidably movable within said tubular member and having a predeterminedposition, a bobbin holding member mounted on and slidable with said bodyso as to be retracted inwardly when the said body is in the saidpredetermined position and so as to be extended outwardly by the saidchannel to varying'e'xtent as the said body means downward from the saidpredetermined position, and means responsive to the said particularmotion of the bobbin for alternately retaining the said body in the saidpredetermined position and releasing the said body for downward motionfrom the said predetermined position.

3. A bobbin holder for alternately holding a bobbin in response to aparticular upward motion of the bobbin relative to the bobbin holder andreleasing the bobbin in response to the said particular upward motion ofthe bobbin relative to the bobbin holder, said bobbin holder comprisinga tubular member, a bobbin holding member having a bobbin releasingposition in which it does not engage a bobbin encircling the tubularmember and a plurailty of bobbin holding positions in which it engages abobbin encircling the tubular member and to which it moves when not inthe bobbin releasing position, and means responsive to the particularupwvard motion of the bobbin relative to the bobbin holder foralternately holding the bobbin holding member in said bobbin releasingposition and releasing the bobbin holding member from said bobbinreleasing position.

4. In a bobbin holder, a tubuiar member, a central body slidably movablewithin the tubular member and fixed against rotation with respectthereto, a bobbin holding member mounted on and slidable with thecentral body, a slidable member releasably engageable with said centralbody movable along the tubular member and having a single operatingcycle of motion on the tubular member, and means responsive to theoperating cycle of motion of the slidable member for alternatelyretaining the central body in a predetermined position within saidtubular member and releasing the central body from the saidpredetermined position when the said operating cycle of motion of theslidable member is repeated.

5. In a bobbin holder, a tubular member, a central body slidably movablewithin the tubular member and fixed against rotation with respectthereto, a bobbin holding member mounted on and slidable with thecentral body so as to be retracted inwardly to bobbin-release positionwhen the central body is in a predetermined position and so as to beextended outwardly to bobbin-holding position in response to otherpositions of the central body relative to the said predeterminedposition, a slidable member releasably engageable with said central bodymovable along the tubular member, and means responsive to the sameoperating cycle of motion of the slidable member for alternatelyretaining the central body in the said predetermined position andreleasing the central body from the said predetermined position when thesaid operating cycle of motion of the slidable member is repeated.

6. A bobbin holder comprising a tubular member, a central body slidablymovable within the tubular member and fixed against rotation withrespect thereto, a bobbin holding member mounted on and slidable withthe central body and having an inward bobbin-release position and aplurality of difierent outwardly extending bobbin-holding positions,means for alternately retaining the central body in the said bobbinrelease position and freeing the central body from the said bobbinrelease po- .sition in response to repetition of the same motion of abobbin relative to the tubular member.

7. In a bobbin holder having a bobbin holding member for holding andreleasing a bobbin in response to motion of an inner body within anouter shell, a camming ball positioned in the inner body for motionsubstantially perpendicular to motion of the inner body within the outershell and having a position in which it stops downward motion of theinner body within the outer shell, and means for moving the camming ballto and from said position in response to two successive andsubstantially identical upward motions of the inner body within theouter shell.

8. In a bobbin holder having a bobbin holding member for holding andreleasing a bobbin in response to motion of an inner body within anouter shell, a positioning member positioned in the inner body formotion independently of said bobbin holding member, substantiallyperpendicular to motion of the inner body within the outer shell andhaving a position in which it stops downward motion of the inner bodywithin the outer shell, and means for moving the positioning memberindependently of said outer shell but responsive to motions of saidinner body, to and .from said position in response to two successive andsubstantially identical upward motions of the inner body within theouter shell.

9. A holder for a bobbin comprising an outer member; an inner bodyslidably movable within the outer member in response to motion of abobbin relative to the outer member and fixed against motion withrespect thereto; a bobbin holding member operably connected to the innerbody and having an outwardly extending bobbin holding position as theinner body moves downward within the outer member; a positioning memberpositioned in the inner body interengaging said inner member and outerbody through relative motion with respect to both, for motionsubstantially perpendicular to the motion of the inner body within theouter member; a first camming means for moving the positioning memberwithin the inner body from a first position relative to said outermember to a second position relative to said outer member as the innerbody moves downward within the outer member and for stopping thedownward motion of the positioning member and the inner body when thepositioning member is in the said second position; and a second cammingmeans for moving the positioning member within the inner body from thesecond position to the first position in response to two successiveupward motions of the bobbin relative to the outer member.

10. A holder for a bobbin comprising a shell member; a body slidablymovable within the shell member in response to motion of a bobbinrelative to the shell member;.a bobbin holding member operably connectedto the body and having an outwardly extending bobbin holding position asthe body moves downward within the shell member; a positioning memberpositioned in the upper end of the body for motion substantiallyperpendicular to motion of the body; a first camming means for movingthe positioning member within the body from a first position to a secondposition as the body moves downward within the shell member and forstopping the downward motion of the positioning member and body when thepositioning member is in the said second position; a second cammingmeans for moving the positioning member within the body from a thirdposition to a fourth position as the body moves downward withoutrestriction within the shell member; and a third camming means foralternately moving the positioning member within the body from itsfourth position to its first position and from its second position toits third position in response to upward motion of the body within theshell member.

11. A holder for a bobbin comprising a tubular member; a central bodyslidably movable within the tubular member in response to motion of abobbin relative to the bobbin holder; a bobbin holding member operablyconnected to the central body, said bobbin holding member beingretracted into the tubular member when the central body is in an upwardposition within the tubular member and having a plurality of outwardlyextending bobbin holding positions as the central body moves downwardwithin the tubular member; a camming ball positioned in the upper end ofthe central body -for motion with the central body and for independentmotion substantially perpendicular to the motion of the central body; afirst camming means for moving the camming ball with said independentmotion from a first position to a second position as the camming ballmoves downward with the central body and, for stopping the downwardmotion of the camming ball when it is in the said second position; asecond camming means for moving the camming ball with said independentmotion from a third position to a fourth position as the camming ballmoves downward without restriction with the central body; and a thirdcamming means for alternatelymoving the camming ball with saidindependent motion from its fourth position to its first position andfrom its second position to its third position in response to upwardmotion of the central body Within the tubular member.

12. A holder for a bobbin comprising a tubular member; a body slidablymovable along a centerline Within having a groove extendingsubstantially perpendicular to the centerline of the body; a cammingball rotatably movable within the said groove; first camming means formoving the camming ball from a first position to a second positionwithin the said groove asthe camming ball moves downward within thetubular member and for checking the downward motion of the camming ballwhen it is in the second position; second camming means for moving thecamming ball from a third position to a fourth position within the saidgroove in which the camming ball moves downward without restrictionwithin the said tubular member; and a third camming means foralternately moving the camming ball from its fourth position to itsfirst position and from its second position to its third position withinthe said groove in response to upward motion of the central body withinthe tubular member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1960 Pray242-4302 9/1960 Sekella 242130.2

1. A HOLDER FOR A BOBBIN, SAID HOLDER COMPRISING A TUBULAR MEMBER, ACENTRAL BODY SLIDABLY MOVABLE WITHIN THE TUBULAR MEMBER RELATIVE TO APREDETERMINED POSITION, A BOBBIN HOLDING MEMBER MOUNTED ON AND SLIDABLYWITH THE CENTERAL BODY AND HAVING AN INWARD POSITION WHEN THE CENTRALBODY IS IN THE SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION, AND A PLURALITY OF OUTWARDLYEXTENDING BOBBIN HOLDING POSITIONS WHEN THE BODY IS RELEASED FROM THEPREDTERMINED POSITION, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A PARTICULAR MOTION OF THEBOBBIN RELATIVE TO THE TUBULAR MEMBER FOR RETAINING THE CENTRAL BODY INTHE SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE SAIDPARTICULAR MOTION OF THE BOBBIN RELATIVE TO THE TUBULAR MEMBER FORRELEASING THE CENTRAL BODY FROM THE SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION.